Providing Health Security For Young Adults

Often times, young adults have a hard time getting access to affordable health care. Frequent life changes make it difficult for them to afford and keep health insurance, forcing many to go without. Fortunately, this is about to change.

A key provision in the Affordable Care Act will require insurers to allow young adults under age 26 to get health coverage through their parents’ insurance plans, beginning September 23. This will give young people and their families the peace of mind knowing that when they get sick or injured, they can get the care they need.

But for many young adults, especially graduates, September is a long way away. They need help now and help can’t come soon enough. Recognizing this need, HHS Secretary  Kathleen Sebelius sent a letter urging insurers to let young adults  access this benefit sooner than they  were required to  under the new law.

Many insurers stepped up to the table and agreed to do just that. They understand that early implementation not only means that young adults will avoid gaps in coverage, but it enables young, often healthy individuals to stay in the insurance pool.

The following insurance companies have announced their participation in early implementation:

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arizona, Inc.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Hawaii
Blue Shield of California
Blue Cross of Idaho Health Service
Regence Blue Shield of Idaho
Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa
Health Care Service Corporation
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
WellPoint, Inc.
CareFirst BlueCross and BlueShield
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi
Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey, Inc.
HealthNow New York, Inc.
The Regence Group
Excellus Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Capital BlueCross
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
Independence Blue Cross
BlueCross BlueShield of North Dakota
Highmark, Inc.
Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania
BlueCross and BlueShield of Tennessee
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island
Premera Blue Cross
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Wyoming
Kaiser Permanente
Cigna
Aetna
United
WellPoint
Humana
Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan (CDPHP), Albany, New York
Capital Health Plan, Tallahassee, Florida
Care Oregon, Portland, Oregon
Emblem Health, New York, New York
Fallon Community Health Plan, Worcester, Massachusetts
Geisinger Health Plan, Danville, Pennsylvania
Group Health, Seattle, Washington
Group Health Cooperative Of South Central Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
Health Partners, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Independent Health, Buffalo, New York
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Oakland, California
Martin’s Point Health Care, Portland, Maine
New West Health Services, Helena, Mt
The Permanente Federation, Oakland, California
Priority Health, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Scott & White Health Plan, Temple, Texas
Security Health Plan, Marshfield, Wisconsin
Tufts Health Plan, Waltham, Massachusetts
UCARE, Minneapolis, Minnesota
UPMC Health Plan, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Additional resources on dependent coverage can be found here:

• Fact sheet: How the Affordable Care Act Gives Young Adults Greater Control Over Their Own Health Care
• Letter from HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius: Read a copy of the letter encouraging insurers to provide coverage for college graduates in advance of the required date of September 23
• Blog post: Growing list of insurers agreeing to implement the provision before September 23
• Fact sheet: Preventing Coverage Gaps, Lowering Administrative Costs and Eliminating Burdens on Businesses and Families
• IRS Guidance: New guidance from the IRS stating that children can be covered tax-free on their parents’ insurance policy.